Letters: Anything happening with the Lakers?

Firing one coach, hiring another while punking Phil Jackson is a pretty wild week, even for this team.

Phil Jackson wanted time to think about coaching the Lakers, and the Lakers… (Wally Skalij / Los Angeles…)

With the Brown firing, the Jackson misfiring, and the D'Antoni hiring, one thing is certain: The "Lakers organization" is more of an oxymoron than anything else.

Ron Ovadia

Irvine

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I'm a film editor out of work for a while, and I had the opportunity to interview with a production company for whom I've cut a lot of movies that were successful in the past, and was paid very well to do so.

The interview went well, I thought, and though I knew they were looking at other editors, I felt that with my overall credentials and past history with this company, it was probably 90% that they'd hire me back.

I got a call in the middle of the night that they'd gone with a younger, less-credentialed and less expensive guy, and boy was I disappointed.

Turns out, one of my colleagues reminded me, this company didn't owe me anything. And you know how many people were outraged by their decision? Nobody!

Dan Johnson

Burbank

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I'm holding a $50-million winning lottery ticket. Considering the lifestyle change it would bring, I told the Lottery Commission that I would need two days to decide whether to cash the ticket and take the money.

Richard Raffalow

Valley Glen

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Congratulations go to Jim Buss. He now gets to keep Phil's old office and doesn't have to give it back to the man who should be sitting there.

Shel Willens

Los Angeles

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Let me see if I have this right: On Saturday, the Lakers got down on one knee and asked Phil Jackson to marry them. Of course, Phil emphatically said, "Yes!" Oh, wait, that didn't happen. Instead, Phil said: "I'll let you know by Monday." Is it any surprise that the Lakers started having a change of heart? If Phil really wanted the job, then he would have immediately accepted. The blame is on Phil for this one.

Craig P. Fagan

San Diego

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The last time I looked, Phil Jackson was unable to walk atop even the Los Angeles River.

Even John Wooden would have had difficulty winning a championship with the Lakers' geriatric starting five.

Tell your aging sports columnists to lighten up and give the new coach a chance.

Dick Van Kirk

Arcadia

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Enjoyed Bill Dwyre's take on the palace intrigue within the Lakers, but how do you explain the picture of Jimmy Buss, still with his hat on, prominently displayed, when one looks up the word "nepotism" in Wikipedia?

Jimmy B. Parsons

Carpinteria

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How ironic that it was the triangle of Jerry, Jim, and Mitch that chose not to rehire Phil Jackson.

Marc Popkin

Los Angeles

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You have to hand it to Jim Buss. He's the first one who has ever punked Phil Jackson. You better hope it works, because the Zen bridge is smoldering in ashes.

David Waldowski

Alta Loma

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When I think of a team making a sudden, desperate move to replace an inadequate coach, the same two words always come to mind: Randy Pfund.

David Macaray

Rowland Heights

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Mitch Kupchak is quoted as saying, "Dr. Buss' preference has always been up and down, free-styled."

I believe Kupchak may have been misquoted and meant to say, "Dr. Buss' preference has always been winning NBA championships."

Jim B. Parsons

Santa Barbara

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It's pretty apparent that Jerry Buss might have lost it. "Yeah, bring back Showtime." With a 38-year-old point guard with a broken leg? Two slow centers, one coming off back surgery? Showtime was run by a 20-year-old 6-9 superstar named Magic.

As long as we're dealing in fantasy, why not see if Scooter is available for last second free throws, and hire Gene Hackman as coach.

Marty Foster

Ventura

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Leave it to Bill Plaschke to have a knee-jerk emotional reaction to the hiring of Mike D'Antoni over Phil Jackson. Knowing nothing of what went on behind the scenes, and operating in role of critic rather than actor (always easier), Bill trashes not only this hiring but previous decisions to let go of Derek Fisher and Lamar Odom Kardashian.

Really, Bill? Isn't it time to move on? The Lakers now have Steve Nash and Dwight Howard to go along with Kobe and Pau, they've added some quality role players, and they've hired someone Kobe and Nash love and others are looking forward to playing for. Let's appreciate the ownership we have, the ownership that has brought us so much. And Bill, you're a natural for the New York Post. Maybe you'd like the ownership better there.

Frank Shapiro

Chatsworth

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Bill Plaschke and T.J. Simers condemn Lakers' hiring of Mike D'Antoni. As if The Times' readers needed any more proof that both Plaschke and Simers have reached their level of incompetence, they again prove they know zero about the Lakers and pro basketball by frowning on the Lakers' move. D'Antoni is the perfect choice to coach the Lakers. It's inarguable (save for the opinions of Plaschke and Simers) that D'Antoni knows the offensive system that best suits Steve Nash, and Nash is the key to the Lakers' offense.